Margaret W. Burcham

Margaret Williams Burcham is a retired brigadier general of the United States Army. She was the first female brigadier general in the United States Army Corps of Engineers.

Margaret W. Burcham
Birth nameMargaret E. Williams[1]
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branchUnited States Army
Years of service1978–2016
RankBrigadier General
Commands heldDirector of Manpower and Personnel for the Joint Chiefs of Staff (2015–2016)
Battles/warsIraq War
AwardsDefense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal
Margaret Burcham

Military career

Burcham attended the United States Military Academy at West Point where she studied civil engineering and was commissioned into the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in 1982. She holds a master's degree in computer science from Kansas State University and an M.S. degree in national security strategy from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. Burcham attended the Engineer Officer Basic and Advanced Courses and also studied at the Combined Arms Services Staff School, the United States Army Command and General Staff College and the Senior Service College.[2][3][4]

Burcham has been chief of the Joint Capabilities Division of the Resources, Assessments and Force Management Directorate at the Pentagon and commander of the USACE North Engineer District in Iraq and the Europe Engineer District. She was appointed commander of the USACE Great Lakes and Ohio River Division in September 2011, the first woman to command a USACE division.[5] In this role, Burcham commanded 4,800 personnel in seven engineering districts covering 17 states and including the waters within the Great Lakes and Ohio River basins.[2] Her annual budget was $2 billion and the division's responsibilities included the maintenance of navigational aids, flood defense projects, water conservation schemes, hydro-electric power and environmental restoration projects of an asset value of over $80 billion.[6] She was promoted to brigadier general on January 27, 2012 at the USACE headquarters in Washington and became the first female general of the USACE.[2] She was appointed to the Mississippi River Commission on May 28, 2013 by President Barack Obama.[7]

Burcham was appointed Director of Manpower and Personnel for the Joint Chiefs of Staff by June 2015.[8][9] She retired from active duty in August 2016.

Personal

Burcham is married to Jay M. Burcham,currently Chief of Staff of Department of Defense Dependents Schools, and previously in senior DOD Civilian roles after a career as U.S. Army commissioned officer in the Armor Branch. She has a daughter and a son from a previous marriage to William C. "Bill" Tubesing.[2][3][10][11][12][13][14]

References
  1. "PN1155 — Army — 97th Congress (1981-1982)". U.S. Congress. May 21, 1982. Retrieved May 24, 2022.
  2. Carpenter, Rhonda (February 9, 2012). "President Nominates USAF's First Female Four-Star, USACE Promotes First Female General". Defense Media Network. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
  3. "Cincinnati Military Officers News" (PDF). Ohio Council of Chapters, Military Officers Association of America. Vol. 39, no. 3. May 21, 2012. Retrieved May 24, 2022.
  4. "Board of Directors". Combat Wounded Veteran Challenge. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
  5. Somers, Meredith (August 12, 2014). "Women shattering glass ceiling, reaching new heights in 2014". The Washington Times. Retrieved November 25, 2017.
  6. "Margaret W. Burcham". Academy Women. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
  7. Anderson, Bob (June 5, 2013). "Burcham becomes first female General Officer on the Mississippi River Commission". U.S. Army. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
  8. "J1 Manpower and Personnel". Joint Chiefs of Staff. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
  9. "Annual Conference of the NATO Committee on Gender Perspectives2015". NATO. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
  10. "First woman promoted to general within Army Corps of Engineers". US Army. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
  11. "Mr. Jay Burcham - Chief of Staff". Department of Defense Education Activity. Retrieved May 24, 2022.
  12. "PN516 — Army — 103rd Congress (1993-1994)". U.S. Congress. September 28, 1993. Retrieved May 24, 2022.
  13. "PN1280 — Army — 105th Congress (1997-1998)". U.S. Congress. July 30, 1998. Retrieved May 24, 2022.
  14. "Class Notes: 1982". Assembly. Vol. LVII, no. 1. Association of Graduates USMA. September–October 1998. p. 152. Retrieved May 24, 2022.
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